Best Steak Marinade

The Best Steak Marinade

All you need is five minutes and a handful of fridge and pantry staples to make this easy steak marinade.

• Active Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

A great steak marinade can make budget-friendly cuts of beef taste like a million bucks. And the best part about this easy steak marinade is that it can be made with ingredients you likely have in your pantry and fridge right now—and it’s easy to adapt based on what you have on hand.

Here, learn how to make this quick and easy steak marinade, and find out the best way to marinate steak so that it is tender, flavorful, and juicy.

Why Marinate Steak?

What’s the secret to perfectly tender, juicy, and flavorful steak? You don’t need chef-y equipment like a sous vide machine, or even pricey truffle butter. The key is giving the steak time to hang out in a bold umami-packed steak marinade just long enough to maximize the meat’s flavor and tenderness.

If you think you might not have time for the extra step of marinating, think again. This quick and easy recipe requires just five minutes of prep, and it calls for ingredients that you most likely already have in your fridge and pantry. Plus, it’s totally flexible. Out of soy sauce? Swap in Worcestershire. No fresh herbs on hand? Use any combination of dried thyme, basil, rosemary, or oregano. If the sugar bowl is empty, try a drizzle of honey instead.

Steak Marinade Ingredients

This steak marinade recipe relies on just a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely have on hand right now. The full list and all measurements are listed below, but here’s a brief recap of the ingredients you’ll need for this steak marinade:

• Olive oil: Olive oil is neutral enough to serve as the base of this marinade. It also helps lock in moisture as the steak cooks.
• Balsamic vinegar: Tangy and a little bit sweet, this vinegar is ideal with steak.
• Soy or Worcestershire sauce: Use whichever you have or prefer for a hit of umami.
• Honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar: Again, use whichever you have on hand, or pick the flavor you prefer. All caramelize the surface of the steak a bit as they cook.
• Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic will impart more flavor than the pre-minced stuff.
• Green herbs: Pick from your favorites: thyme, basil, rosemary, or oregano. Don’t have fresh? You can use the same in dried form.
• Salt and pepper: To round out the flavor.
• Steak: You obviously need steak for a steak marinade. Pick whatever is in your budget. The great thing about a marinade is that it can elevate high-end cuts of beef, or it can tenderize budget cuts to be nearly as tender as the expensive cuts.

How To Make Homemade Steak Marinade

The second best thing about making homemade steak marinade—besides how flexible it is—is how quick it is. Once you pull everything out of the pantry and fridge, you just have to mix it all in a zip-top bag or baking dish.

Full instructions are below, but here’s a brief recap.

• Step 1. Combine ingredients: In a zip-top bag or baking dish, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy or Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sweetener, garlic cloves, herbs, and salt and pepper.
• Step 2. Add steak: Put the steaks in the marinade, flip the steaks, and then cover the baking dish (if using) with plastic wrap.
• Step 3. Marinate: Let the steaks sit in the fridge, and rotate or flip the steaks halfway during the marinating time.
• Step 4. Remove steaks: Take steaks out of the marinade, and pat dry. Dispose of the marinade, or cook it to use again (more on that below).
• Step 5. Cook steaks: Grill, sear, or bake the steaks, whichever you prefer.

How To Use Steak Marinade

You can marinate the steak in two easy ways:

• In a baking dish: Make sure the baking dish is large enough for the steaks (a 9- x 13-inch dish is likely large enough for four steaks).
• In a zip-top bag: No room for a baking dish in the fridge? Put the marinade in a bag, and toss the steaks. While it’s marinading, massage the bag occasionally to cover the steaks with the liquid.

How Long To Marinate a Steak

This marinade will heighten the flavor of any cut of steak. But it’s a myth that the longer a steak marinates, the better it will taste.

Firstly, the marinade will only penetrate the exterior of the meat no matter how long you let it sit. But also, acidic ingredients (like balsamic vinegar in this recipe) break down the muscle of the meat, which can turn the texture of the meat mushy when left too long.

That means that tender cuts of beef, like porterhouse, T-bone, ribeye (and of course, the tenderloin) can benefit from just 15 minutes of marinating. But they shouldn’t sit in the mix for more than an hour.

On the other hand, tough, less expensive cuts of steak—like skirt, hangar, and flank—benefit from longer marinade times. Let those cuts bathe in this complex, umami-packed mix for 24 hours for maximum flavor and tenderness.

What To Do With Leftover Marinade

You cannot reuse steak marinade after the raw beef has been in it without cooking the marinade first. Raw steak will leave behind pathogens that can make you quite sick.

If you are determined to reuse the leftover marinade, you need to boil it. To do this, empty the marinade into a saucepan, and remove any pieces of meat. Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes at 212°F.

The boiling will reduce the liquid in the marinade, so if it gets too thick, you can add beef or chicken stick to thin it out a bit more. The cooked marinade will make a great glaze for the finished steaks or vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. soy or Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• 1 Tbsp. honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh green herbs (such as thyme, basil, rosemary, and/or oregano), or 2 tsp. dried green herbs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 lb. steak, trimmed if needed

Directions

Combine steak marinade ingredients:
Add all ingredients except for the steak to a glass, ceramic, or other flat, non-metallic baking dish that’s large enough to fit the meat.

Whisk to combine.

Alternatively, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and pour into a zip-top plastic bag.

Step 2: Add steak:

Turn to coat.

Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning once at the halfway point.

How Long To Marinate Steak

Type of Steak                                                                                          How Long to Marinate
Tender cuts (porterhouse, T-bone, ribeye, strip, tenderloin)      15 minutes to 1 hour
Tough cuts (skirt, hangar, flank)                                                        Up to 24 hours

Step 3: Take steak out of marinade:
Remove steak and discard marinade.

Step 4: Cook steak:
Cook steak to desired doneness.

Let the meat rest before slicing and serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you marinate steak?

You always can—but don’t always need to! Some steaks benefit more from a marinade, such as budget-friendly cuts that need time to tenderize. Pricier cuts, like tenderloin and ribeye, don’t need a marinade for tenderness, but you may like to marinate them still to add flavor.

How do you know when steak is done?

The best way to know when a steak is done is to use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature. Otherwise, you may under- or overcook the meat.

Is dry rub better than steak marinade?

A steak marinade adds moisture to the steak’s surface, which some people don’t like because it can make getting a good sear hard. Those people may prefer a dry rub. But if you’re not particular about how seared the steak gets, either option will work.